Beverage bottle and method for maintaining carbonation

ABSTRACT

A bottle and method is provided for storing a carbonated beverage so that the beverage can be dispensed over time without the beverage remaining in the container losing carbonation. The bottle can be comprised of a container having a bladder inserted therein. The annular space between the container and the bladder is accessed through a pressure port by a pump and the container is pressurized such that the bladder is compressed and the useable volume of the bottle is reduced. By reducing the volume, excess air can be prevented from collecting in the bottle.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/360,346, filed on Feb. 27, 2002, and which isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention is related to a container for storing acarbonated liquid.

BACKGROUND

[0003] All over the world carbonated beverages are sold in PET plasticbottles in sizes as large as two to three liters. These bottles aretypically resealable and sold to households for multiple use, just assmaller size aluminum, plastic or glass containers are sold for singleuse. Unfortunately, the carbonation escapes after repeated opening andpouring from the bottle. The carbon dioxide diffuses into air occupyingspace once occupied by beverage. The larger the volume of air in the PETbottle, the faster carbonation is lost. This often leads to a portion ofthe beverage contained in the PET bottle being dumped down a drain orthrown away with the PET bottle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0004]FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a bottle in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

[0005]FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the bottle of FIG. 1 including asiphon system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006]FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an improved carbonated beveragebottle 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.The bottle 100 can assist in maintaining the carbonation of a carbonatedbeverage 112 even after the bottle 100 has been repeatedly opened and aportion of the carbonated beverage 112 has been removed. The bottle 100allows consumers to consume essentially the total volume of carbonatedbeverage 112 within the bottle 100 over an extended period of time andafter multiple openings.

[0007] An original cap provided by a carbonated beverage manufacturer ora cap sold with the bottle 100 can be used to reseal the bottle 100 eachtime the bottle 100 is opened. Alternatively, a cap with a siphon anddispensing valve can be used if the consumer desires to have the addedconvenience of not having to repeatedly open the bottle 100.

[0008] The bottle 100 is comprised of a rigid or flexible container 102into which and inner flexible bladder 104 is inserted during manufactureof the bottle 100. The container 102 can be comprised of plastic (forexample, high-density polyethylene), glass, or metal (for example,aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium), or some other material havingsimilar insulating properties. The flexible bladder 104 can be comprisedof a thin flexible plastic or metal foil. As shown in FIG. 1, the bottle100 can have a cylindrical shape. Alternatively, the bottle 100 can havea contoured or stylized shape. For example, a manufacturer may desire abottle 100 shaped such that the bottle 100 invokes the manufacturer'strademark, or a manufacturer may desire a bottle 100 shaped such thatthe bottle 100 has a particular property, such as being compact for easycarrying, or sized to fit a cup holder. One of ordinary skill in the artcan appreciate the myriad of shapes in which the bottle 100 can bemanufactured.

[0009] The inner bladder 104 is fastened in an air tight manner on theinside surface 106 of the container 102. The bladder 104 can be fastenedto the surface 106 by adhesives, by heating a portion of the bladder 104contacting the surface 106, or by forming a seal between two portions ofthe container 102 that fasten together with a rim of the bladder 104between the two portions of the container 102. Alternatively, thebladder 104 can be integrally formed with the container 102, for examplewhere a flexible plastic material is used to form both the container 102and the bladder 104.

[0010] As mentioned above, in one embodiment the bottle can be used withthe original manufacturer's cap. The cap 114, mates with a threadedportion of a neck 108, or alternatively, some other narrow or taperedportion of the container 102. In other the bottle 100 has its ownsealing means connected with a charging port for filling the bladder 104with carbonated beverage 112. Carbonated beverage 112 can be filled intothe inside of the bladder 104 through the neck 108 or charging port andthe bladder 104 will expand as the volume of carbonated beverage 112increases. After the bladder 104 is filled with the desired amount ofcarbonated beverage 112, the bottle 100 is sealed with the cap 114.

[0011] An airtight valve 110 can be connected with the container 102 asa pressure port for access to an annular space 116 between thenon-wetted surface of the bladder 104 and the container 102. A pump (notshown) optionally supplied with the bottle 100 can be connected with theair tight valve 110 such that the pump communicates with the annularspace 116. A consumer activates the pump to fill the annular space 116with ambient air, or some other fluid from an external source,pressurizing the container 102 and compressing the bladder 104. Ascarbonated beverage 102 is consumed through an opened bottle 100, orwhere the bottle 100 is repeatedly opened for pouring carbonatedbeverage 112 into a separate container, empty air enters to replace thedispensed beverage. Carbon dioxide bubbles to the surface of thebeverage 112 and diffuses into any empty air in the bladder 104(increasing the pressure over time in a typical sealed bottle, therebycausing the familiar ‘hisssss’ when the bottle is opened). Activatingthe pump before the bottle 100 is sealed collapses the bladder 104 andfills the empty space 118 between the level of the carbonated beverage112 and the cap 114 with carbonated beverage 112 forced into the space118. The bottle 100 can then be sealed. As mentioned, the pump can besupplied with the bottle 100. For example, as also mentioned above, thecontainer 102 can be formed in any desired shape including having arecess within an otherwise cylindrically shaped container 102, that canbe used to house the pump. Alternatively, a pump may be built into thecontainer 102, for example, as is familiar in athletic shoes havinginflatable soles such as Nike™ air pump shoes or Reebok™ DMX shoes.

[0012] A pressure relief valve 120 can be provided, either separately orintegrated with the air tight valve 110 (as shown) or the pump. Afterthe carbonated beverage 112 is completely consumed, the bladder 104 willlikely be nearly completely collapsed. To refill the bladder 104 withmore carbonated beverage 112, the relief valve 120 must be activated toequalize the pressure between the atmosphere and the annular space 116,thereby allowing the bladder 104 to fully expand. The relief valve 120also prevents a user from pumping air into the container 102 to a levelthat might cause the bottle 100 to fail. The relief valve 120 will notlet the pressure in the container 102 rise above a preset limit.

[0013]FIG. 2 is across-section of the bottle 100 having a siphon 220inserted into the bladder 104 and protruding from the cap 114 (orreplacing the cap 114 and protruding from the container 102). The amountof air or fluid pumped through the valve 110 into the annular space 116is increased to raise the pressure on the bladder 104 sufficiently toforce the carbonated beverage 112 up the siphon 220. The siphon 220 canhave a dispensing valve 222 connected at the protruding end of thesiphon 220 for regulating the of carbonated beverage 112 from the bottle100. The siphon 220 can also have a beveled distal end 224, therebyhelping to avoid blockage by the collapsing bladder 104. The bottle 100is refilled with carbonated beverage by either first unfastening the cap114 from the bottle 100 and removing the cap 114 and siphon 220contemporaneously, or by first removing the siphon 220 prior tounfastening the cap 114.

[0014] The bottle can be used for other liquids as well as forcarbonated beverages. For example, using the siphon system the bottlecan be used to pressurize any liquid for convenient and optionallymetered dispensing, replacing bulkier, larger volume containers thatrely on heavy mechanical pumps.

[0015] The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the presentinvention has been provided for the purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevantarts. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explainthe principles of the invention and its practical application, therebyenabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments and with various modifications that are suited tothe particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the claims and their equivalence.

1. A bottle for storing a liquid, comprising: a container adapted to bepressurized, the container having: a bladder adapted to contain theliquid; and a pressure port for pressurizing the container such that thebladder is compressed; and a dispensing port of the container.
 2. Thebottle for storing a liquid of claim 1, wherein the container is one ofcylindrical, contoured and stylized in shape.
 3. The bottle for storinga liquid of claim 1, including a charging port for providing the liquidto the bladder.
 4. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 1, includinga pump selectably insertable into the pressure port for pressurizing thecontainer.
 5. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 5, wherein thepump is adapted to provide ambient air to the container for pressurizingthe container.
 6. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 1, includinga relief valve for depressurizing the container.
 7. The bottle forstoring a liquid of claim 1, including a siphon having a distal endadapted to be inserted into the bladder such that a proximal end of thesiphon extends outside the container, which siphon providing a conduitfor the liquid.
 8. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 7, whereinthe siphon includes a valve adapted to regulate a flow of liquid throughthe siphon.
 9. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 8, wherein thedistal end of the siphon is beveled.
 10. A bottle for storing a liquid,comprising: a container adapted to be pressurized; a bladder connectedwith the container and adapted for containing the liquid; a pressureport for pressurizing the container such that the bladder is compressed;and a dispensing port for dispensing the liquid.
 11. The bottle forstoring a liquid of claim 10, including a sealable charging port forproviding the liquid to the bladder.
 12. The bottle for storing a liquidof claim 10, including a pump selectably insertable into the pressureport for pressurizing the container.
 13. The bottle for storing a liquidof claim 10, including a pump connected with the pressure port forpressurizing the container, wherein the pump is adapted to be manuallyoperated to provide ambient air to the container.
 14. The bottle forstoring a liquid of claim 10, including a siphon having a distal endadapted to be inserted into the bladder such that a proximal end of thesiphon extends outside the dispensing port, which siphon providing aconduit for the liquid.
 15. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 14,wherein the siphon includes a valve adapted to regulate a flow of liquidthrough the siphon.
 16. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 15,wherein the distal end of the siphon is beveled.
 17. The bottle forstoring a liquid of claim 10, including a relief valve fordepressurizing the container.
 18. A method for storing a liquid in abottle having a container connected with a bladder for containing theliquid, the container having a pressure port for pressurizing thecontainer such that the bladder is compressed, comprising: connecting apump with the pressure port; pressurizing the container with the pumpsuch that excess air is forced out of the bladder; sealing the bottlesuch that no excess air enters the bladder; and disconnecting the pumpfrom the pressure port.
 19. The method for storing a liquid of claim 17,further comprising: depressurizing the container using a relief valveconnected with the container; unsealing the bottle; filling the bladderwith a liquid through a charge port; and resealing the bottle.
 20. Themethod for storing a liquid of claim 17, further comprising: inserting adistal end of a siphon into the bladder such that the proximal end ofthe siphon extends outside the bladder, wherein the siphon includes avalve preventing excess air from entering the bladder once the bottle issealed.